This invention relates to security devices, and more particularly to a protective box which provides an additional level of security to a closure device, such as a lock, bolt, or the like.
Closure devices, such as locks, bolts, and the like, are generally utilized to protect an apparatus or a premises. For example, a door lock is generally used as part of the front door of a house, store, or other areas to be protected. Other locks, such as cylinder locks, pad locks, combination locks, etc., are also utilized to protect doors, trunks, drawers, and many other parts. In addition to locks, bolts are often used to securely retain interconnected assemblies. For example, an outboard motor can be securely bolted onto the hull of a boat for permanent retention.
In each of these situations, it has been found that despite the presence of the particular closure device, such as the lock or bolt, the articles or premises are still not completely protected and are still vulnerable to burglaries and unauthorized entry. Accordingly, in addition to the normal closure device, an additional level of security is often desired to provide additional protection as well as to provide increased avoidance to penetration. The increased level of protection that is available is to utilize an apparatus which serves to protect the existing closure device. For example, by placing an enclosure around an existing door lock, with the enclosure itself suitably locked, there can be added the additional level of security as desired.
With this type of arrangement, a burglar must first penetrate the enclosure box prior to gaining access to the normal door lock. The existence of this additional enclosure often provides sufficient deterrent to prevent an unauthorized individual from attempting to gain access to the premises.
Where the closure device is only a bolt, the presence of the enclosure surrounding and protecting the bolt provides security to prevent individuals from removing the bolt. For example, where an outboard motor is connected to the hull of the boat by means of a bolt, the use of the protective enclosure over the bolt will prevent an unauthorized individual from removing the bolt and hence taking the motor.
One of the basic problems, however, with such enclosures around locks, bolts or the like, is the awkwardness and difficulty which it presents to the authorized individual who has permission to use the premises. For example, the owner of a house, who has a protective enclosure around his door lock, must continuously open the enclosure before he can open the door lock. This presents an inconvenience, and frequently, the owner foregoes the safety benefits of such an enclosure because of its inconvenient manipulation and thereby does not gain the benefit of the enclosure.
Additionally, many of the presently available security boxes provide doors which fall off, parts which can be lost, locks which must be continuously manipulated and opened, and awkward construction so that it presents more problems then solutions.